Content about Alabama

ROANOKE, Va. — Several times a year, I am asked about poor-quality wash or stains. About stains, my philosophy has always been that they represent a failure to properly handle or clean the fabric; I have frequently found that most stains are caused by improper wash formulas. I was convinced that I had not met a stain I could not beat until I arrived in Milwaukee, Wis.

While working at Aurora Health Care, I encountered a light yellow stain that resisted all attempts to remove it. We attempted to identify what the substance might look like before it was washed, but the source of the stain eluded us. We worked with our chemical vendor to identify the stain. We tried developing a reclaim formula but still the stain stumped the company experts.

We requested that our chemical vendor and linen vendor send samples of the stained linen to independent labs for analysis; the labs could not identify the stain or find a way to remove it. The stain showed up more frequently in early-morning loads than at other times of the day, we determined, but the source of the stain and its tool for removal remained a mystery.

When I accepted a job at Health Group of Alabama, the stain “followed.” The fact that the stain could be present in two different laundries 600 miles apart led me to look at other environmental factors. This time, we narrowed our search to various chemicals used in the hospital and quite accidentally discovered that the source of the pesky stain was a hand soap used at the largest facility.

The active ingredient was chlorhexidine gluconate, the most effective hand sanitizer on the market today. The soap is clear; it shows no color in liquid form or when dried on linen. But the cleaner will react with chlorine to form a light yellow to dark brown stain (its color depends on the amount of soap and chlorine present).

In Milwaukee and again in Alabama, there was enough chlorine in the local water system to cause the chlorhexidine gluconate to form a stain. In an effort to reduce the amount of staining, I worked with our chemical company to devise a formula that would limit the chances of setting the stain before we could rinse the soap from the fabric.

Our first step was to change from chlorine bleach to hydrogen peroxide bleach. This reduced the stain by 50% but apparently there was still enough chlorine in the incoming water to cause the problem.

Our next step was to add an antichlor or hydrogen peroxide to the first pocket of the tunnel washers. Both chemicals neutralize the chlorine and thus prevent the chlorhexidine gluconate from setting.

By taking these steps, we were able to reduce our stains from this chemical by 80%.

At the Roanoke, Va., laundry where I now work, chlorhexidine gluconate stains have reared their ugly head once again. This time, the hand cleaner is part of a bed-bath kit used to bathe bedridden patients. The Roanoke city water system contains chlorine levels sufficient to cause the chemical to set a light yellow stain.

To add to our frustration, the sodium vapor lights used in the laundry’s overhead lighting make it difficult for workers to see the stain. Under normal fluorescent light, the stain can be easily detected.

In all my years in the laundry business, I have seen the process I detailed above remedy a number of stain and odor problems. Oil stains on high-thread count polyester surgical gowns or Gortex gowns can be almost eliminated through the use of a solvenated detergent in conjunction with enzymes but with no softeners. A barrier retreatment product, if used properly, will prevent oil from adhering to the polyester fibers while maintaining the barrier quality of the fabrics at like-new levels.

Residual odor problems in freshly laundered reusable diapers and underpads can be addressed by switching to an enzyme detergent.

Numerous stains can be avoided by using a warm (not to exceed 120 F) fresh-water flush at the start of the wash formula. Many medicines and body fluids react unfavorably in the presence of heat or wash chemicals.

The key to overcoming a stain is the willingness to do the detective work required to identify the cause, then asking for help from the appropriate people to develop a system to avoid it.

FAIRWAY, Kan. — In an effort to shed light on what hospitals want from their laundry providers (and, in doing so, provide intelligence to help providers meet healthcare client needs and expectations in 2012), a 360-degree review on the subject was in order.

In addition to interviews with environmental service (EVS) managers and nurses at a dozen hospitals across the country, about two dozen laundry operators were surveyed and interviewed.

While the nature of this review is anecdotal (i.e., not a scientific study), the feedback gathered resonates true.

What Laundry Operators Think They Want

Based on a survey of operators representing all sizes and types of laundry operations, they say hospitals want (in order of importance):

• On-time delivery and sufficient inventory
• Responsiveness to client needs and requests
• Good-quality products
• Competitive prices
• HLAC accreditation

While operators ranked HLAC accreditation low as a customer priority, most agree this is changing as more and more laundries become accredited.

The primary complaints received from clients are (in order of frequency):

• Costs too high
• Stains and tears on items
• Insufficient inventory
• Poor quality
• Lost or missing goods

There were many operator complaints about clients not taking the time to communicate needs, to understand pricing issues, or to participate in inventory control and loss programs.

Of those surveyed, 71% provide service on a rental basis, with the remaining 29% providing a combination of rental and customer-owned goods (COG). Ninety-three percent of all respondents provide clients education on linen use and control; 86% provide inventory management programs.

What Hospital EVS Managers Say

While some EVS managers might not rank having its laundry HLAC-accredited top of the list, it is a must-have criteria for others. “Our laundry provides excellent service and works closely with me and my administrator on any issues that arise,” says Kent Miller, CHESP, director of environmental services for Jackson Hospital & Clinic in Montgomery, Ala.

“I believe a healthcare laundry should be HLAC-accredited,” adds Miller, who is also president of the Association of the Healthcare Environment (AHE), an HLAC founder. “My laundry provider is accredited, and they made sure I received a copy of the accreditation certificate.”

When asked how their laundry provider could improve its service, EVS managers say they need:

• Better-quality goods/fewer stains
• Better communication on product changes and service options
• Help in enforcing appropriate linen usage among staff/controlling losses
• Training programs for staff in each unit (along with spot audits)

When asked what their laundry provider does right, EVS managers stated:

• On-time delivery
• Responsive to requests
• Good fill rates

Overall, the EVS managers interviewed were happy with their laundry providers. Those happiest with their service have a close relationship with a customer service representative from the laundry.

But one issue remains difficult to resolve.

“I have great laundry service, but the biggest gripe I get from staff is about stains on linen, especially on our knit sheets,” says Wes Thiss, CHESP, EVS director at St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, Va. “I realize that part of the stain issue is our fault. The iodine cleanser commonly used in hospitals stains terribly. But the perception among staff is that if there is a stain, it’s not clean.”

The Nursing Perspective

Nurses want the linen they need right now. “If it has hair or a stain on it, we put it straight in the soil bin,” says RN Copp.

In general, nurses say they need:

• Clean linen without stains, tears or holes
• Patient gowns with snaps that work
• An adequate supply of items
• A better understanding of their needs (listen to what they say and follow through!)
• An appointed hospital linen liaison or advocate for each unit

A survey taken of 42 nurses during a Practice Greenhealth webinar¹ in February 2011 revealed that 40% rated their laundry service as “good,” 30% rated it as “fair,” 20% rated it as “poor,” and only 10% rated their laundry service as “great.”

“In my 17 years as an RN and administrator, I have observed that most linen services do a decent job,” says Brenda Willis, RN, Tonganoxie, Kan. “But if there is no one appointed on the unit floor to oversee linen use and advocate on behalf of the laundry, there are more problems and greater linen losses.”

One nurse noted that staff hated getting patient gowns with snaps that didn’t snap. Because the perception was that gowns with broken snaps kept being returned to them, nurses started throwing them away.

“The most common mistake operators make in serving hospitals is not communicating sufficiently with hospital staff,” says Deborah Lark, COO of Portland Hospital Services Corp., Portland, Ore. “It’s critical to communicate with and educate end-users about linen and the laundry operation.

“Unless we educate the end-user, there is a tendency for clients to take linen for granted. Hospital staff can wind up making assumptions about the laundry operation that result in unrealistic expectations.”

The Challenge — Will You Meet It In 2012?

Does your laundry operation have customer service reps that regularly visit with the client contact and floor staff?

Do you provide training for staff on appropriate linen usage?

Do you insist that each hospital unit have an appointed linen advocate?

The successful execution of these tactics can make the difference between happy customers and your profitability in 2012.

But Thiss acknowledges that it’s hard to get nurses to participate in any type of linen committee. “We need help getting our nurses to want to participate in training and committee work.”

“The most important thing hospital staff can do is be open-minded and willing to form quality and linen committees that can then set realistic goals and par levels,” says Kelly Jefferson, vice president of customer support services for Reino Linen Service, Gibsonburg, Ohio. “We also need to coax staff to talk openly about fill rates and returns.

“Until you have a true relationship and partnership established between the laundry and end-users, there will always be questions of fill rates, quality, costs and customer satisfaction.”

Click here for Part 1.

ROANOKE, Va. — Much has been said about having backup plans in case of disasters. The recent storms in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia have brought fresh attention to the subject. Here are some valuable lessons learned during these violent spring storms.

Does your laundry have a weather radio to warn you of approaching storms? Having time to prepare is essential in avoiding injuries. These particular storms moved extremely fast and often happened without a lot of warning. The situation quickly moved from a weather advisory to a weather warning to the actual storm.

Do your employees know where to go in case of a violent storm? Establish severe-weather shelters within your place of business and train all employees about what to do in case of a weather emergency. Quick thinking on the part of a home-improvement store manager saved the lives of his customers and his employees. We all want to believe it will never happen to us, but being prepared will help us get through the storm if it does happen.

Northern Alabama was without power from a Wednesday afternoon until Sunday night, and the area affected by this power outage was extremely large. Debris blocked major roads. Having no power, gas stations were closed. As a result of the storms, the need for linen in hospitals and hotels increased dramatically. Is your organization prepared to function under these circumstances?

Does your laundry have a backup generator? Is it large enough to allow you to run your entire laundry? When a large region like northern Alabama, with many key defense industries, is without power, it would be difficult to obtain a portable generator to run your laundry. Further complicating the problem would be the number of roads rendered impassable due to debris.

Another problem caused by the lack of power was the loss of many land-based and cellular phones. A number of cellular towers were destroyed. If you are unable to contact your employees by phone, how will they know when to return to work?

Having the assurance of a backup generator as part of your facility and established plans to operate your facility immediately after a disaster will aid your employees in understanding their role and responsibilities.

The lack of fuel for trucks and employees’ cars is an unexpected problem. I must admit that I had not taken this into consideration as part of my disaster-preparedness plan. Certainly, having a leasing company with its own pumps and backup generator would be one way to prepare for this occurrence. Knowing ahead of time which fuel sources would be available in case of a power outage would also be helpful.

Parts of northern Alabama had a dusk-till-dawn curfew, which limited the hours a laundry or business could operate. This would cause havoc to a plan that requires a laundry to extend its operational hours due to an undersized generator.

Trucks that were clearly identified as essential service vehicles made the delivery of linen easier, as many roads were closed except for emergency or essential service vehicles.

I am confident that there are additional lessons to be learned from the violent storms that struck in April but I could only touch on some of the key issues. I certainly hope that we will not need to put too many of these lessons to the test in the near future.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — M&B Hangers recently presented the American Cancer Society with a check for $8,370, representing donations from sales of pink hangers October through December 2010.

M&B launched the pink hangers campaign in October to help its customers contribute to cancer research. Distributors purchase the pink wire hangers, which feature special capes carrying inspirational phrases, for a small extra fee; M&B then matches the donations dollar-for-dollar.

The inherent dangers of industrial laundering have been well-documented. Potentially contaminated sharps lurk in soiled linen. Heavy slings or bags dangle overhead. Large, moving equipment threatens to maim or even kill if a worker makes a wrong move.

Heat stress doesn’t harbor the immediate threat of these other hazards, but it’s one that can still pack a deadly wallop if treated too lightly.

LOOK FOR WARNING SIGNS

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Anyone from Alabama can tell you that college football is the state’s most revered pastime. And, as recently as a few years ago, Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) students had to choose between Alabama and Auburn to get their football fix.

But in 2007, after a 68-year hiatus (the school didn’t field a team from 1940 through 2006), Birmingham-Southern College Panther fans had their own squad to cheer for again.

JOHNSTON, S.C. — Mount Vernon Mills Inc. has entered into a contract to purchase the assets of the Burlington, N.C., facility of Burlington Chemical Co. LLC. The new location will become a part of Mount Vernon Chemicals LLC, which has operations in North Carolina, Alabama, and South Carolina.

SEATTLE — SanMar Corp. has opened a new 525,000-square-foot warehouse facility in Jacksonville, Fla., that will serve as the company’s regional shipping and inventory center for the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.

ATLANTA — Private equity firm Kelly Capital sold significantly all assets of its National Linen & Uniform Service (NLUS) affiliate to Salt Lake City-based Alsco just prior to the Labor Day weekend. Terms weren't disclosed.

The deal includes branches in Florence, Ala.; Doraville, Atlanta and Savannah, Ga.; Shreveport, La.; St. Louis, Mo.; Charlotte, N.C.; Charleston and Columbia, S.C.; Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville, Tenn.; Lubbock, Texas; and Alexandria, Portsmouth and Roanoke, Va.

MOBILE, Ala. — Spontaneous combustion sparked a July 10 fire here at ARAMARK Uniform Services that caused an estimated $1 million in damage to the large, one-story, metal-frame building, according to Mobile fire investigators.

The fire, reported around 8 p.m., appears to have originated in the sorting and folding area.

"Investigators determined that one of the sorting containers contained a large amount of oily rags and spontaneously combusted, causing the fire," a fire-rescue department press release says.